The invention relates to an devices and methods for temporarily or releasably coupling, connecting or attaching components. More particularly, it relates to apparatus and methods for the temporary removal, retaining and replacing of a protective needle cap of an injection apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a housing, a receptacle part arranged in the housing for accommodating the injection apparatus, and holding means.
Needle protectors, shields or caps are known in many embodiments. With typical, manually operated injection syringes the protective needle cap, as a rule, is removed by hand before use and after use is replaced by hand. In doing this, there exists for a user a considerable danger of injury from the used injection needle. For this reason, aids have already been proposed for removal and especially for replacement of the protective cap, all of which, however, require a separate operational step.
It would be advantageous if a protective needle cap could be removed and afterwards be replaced through a process step that is a step or part of the preparation, handling and/or use of an injection device.